Alleged Parts for Upcoming iPhone Leak Again, Mute Switch to Become Push Button?

Several weeks ago, photos of a pair of parts alleged to be from the iPhone 5S surfaced through a Japanese parts vendor. The parts included a flex cable for the device's home button and a second flex cable housing the vibrator and volume/mute controls. 

Another Japanese parts vendor, iLab Factory, has now posted a new set of photosshowing not only those two parts but also a third flex cable that appears to house the device's front camera. iLab Factory points out that these parts may be from the iPhone 5S but could alternatively be from Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone. 

Vibrator/audio control flex cable for iPhone 5S or lower-cost iPhone
One interesting item of note that we neglected to point out in our previous report relates to the vibrator/volume control flex cable. The part contains a strip of three buttons to run along the edge of the device, corresponding to the locations of the two volume buttons and the mute switch on previous iPhone models. But on this part, all three features appear to be buttons, suggesting that this upcoming iPhone may see the mute switch become a push button. 

iPhone 5 audio control cable with mute switch boxed in red (Source: iFixit)
iLab Factory also notes that the vibrator in this part uses a dual-head design, which is distinct from the iPhone 5 vibrator design, although it is unclear what may have prompted the change. 

The other two parts shared by iLab Factory reveal little information, with the home button flex cable appearing essentially identical to the previously seen part except for a part number change from 821-1684-01 to 821-1684-02. These parts do, however, contain a significantly longer cable than seen on the corresponding iPhone 5 part. 

[Source: MacRumors]

This Gmail 5 for Android Concept is Amazing

An Android developer and designer named Paul Burke recently published a set of photos to his Google+ page that re-imagines Gmail for Android. The photos show a stunning, simple and elegant user interface that incorporates all of your contacts and reorganizes your inbox so that it’s more intuitive and easier to use.

“I’ve been imagining what Gmail for Android could look like in a post-Google Now world,” Burke said. “After seeing the Gmail for iOS design, I was inspired to create a concept that adopts the best of both apps. The basic premise of this redesign is new navigation, and more focus on people and content. I’ve been working on this in tiny bursts for a while, and wanted to get more screens done, but at this rate, the actual app will come out first. I hope to, at least, get more done to show how the cards would work in the Conversation view.”

Burke warns, of course, that his concept won’t ever be created by Google and that these are sketches he developed in Photoshop. Google: take note.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Apple agrees to $53 million settlement in iPhone and iPod Touch warranty class action

Wired is reporting that Apple has agreed to a $53 million settlement in a class action suit regarding Apple's warranty practices regarding water damage in older iOS devices. The settlement agreement, which was leaked to Wired, has already been signed off on by Apple chief litigation counsel Noreen Krall and now awaits the official signatures of the remaining parties.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple improperly refused to honor warranty agreements for iPhones and iPod Touch devices which were seemingly damaged by water.

As a quick primer, iPhone and iPod Touch models come with Liquid Contact Indicators (LCI) which change color from white to pink or red when they comes into contact with water. Apple's warranty coverage, however, doesn't extent to water damage. As such, when an affected customer would bring in a damaged device with a red LCI, Apple refused to honor the warranty agreement by refusing to repair or replace it.

The problem with Apple's bright line rule, however, is that the the LCI was prone to change colors when exposed to humidity. Though Apple on its own website explains than an LCI is designed not to be triggered by changes in humidity and temperature, 3M, who makes the tape, said that such factors can sometimes cause the LCI to change color.

The devices encompassed in the lawsuit include the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3GS, and the first three generations of the iPod Touch. The ballpark estimate for payouts is about $200 per claim, but that figure could either rise or decline depending on how many affected users actually submit a claim. The type of device affected will also influence the extent of individual payouts.

The reason the last iPhone model included in the suit is the iPhone 3GS is because Apple in 2010 began requiring employees to look for other signs of water damage when a user brought in a device with a red LCI. Whereas employees under the previous protocol would void the warranty of an affected device out of hand, court documents posted by Wired indicate that Apple's liquid damage policies for the iPhone and iPod Touch were made less stringent in December 2009 and June 2010 respectively.

As part of the settlement agreement, Apple also agreed to set up a website where users can learn about the case and access all documents needed to either submit a claim via the web or by printing out a mailable form. Interestingly, the agreement requires that Apple make a published notice alerting the public to the settlement agreement in both the USA Today andMacworld magazine.

Naturally, Apple notes that it enters into the settlement agreement "without in any way acknowledging any fault, liability, or wrongdoing of any kind."

[Source: TUAW]

5 of the Best Online Games

With the online gambling market continuing to offer a variety of great deals (largely due to the substantial amount of competitor sites), there’s never been a better time to enjoy a few games yourself.  But how should you go about deciding which of the many games available are worthy of your attention?  Well, hopefully this list of the best five should help,

Poker.   It might be seen as a bit of a cliche in the betting world, but poker is a classic for good reason: it’s great fun!  Unlike some card games, poker’s learning curve is reasonably easy for a beginner to negotiate the web’s world of usernames means that you can play with complete anonymity, so you don’t have to worry about pressure.    There are a huge amount of different websites that offer poker from low levels to get you started up to the big stakes for whenyou’ve got used to playing.  888 Poker, Full Tilt Poker and Party Poker are all good websites to start with.

Bingo.  In the last few years, online bingo has absolutely taken off, with new websites springing up almost every week to offer their own versions of this popular game.  Because competition is so high, it’s actually a good time to get involved, with sites outbidding each other to attract custom.  Different companies are offering some great deals such as more than doubling your first initial stake, so if you put £10 into your site account, they will double it to £20 (and on some occasions more than that).  There are usually a range of different games that can be played for both low and high stakes.

Blackjack.  An absolute Vegas classic, blackjack been a part of the gaming industry for years.  Gloriously simple to pick up and play, it’ll take you less than five minutes to learn how the game works (if you don’t already) and get going.  If you’ve got a good memory for remembering which cards have already been dealt, you might find yourself playing at quite an advanced level quite quickly.  Incredibly addictive, Blackjack makes for a really good introduction to casino gaming.

Roulette.  Another classic that’s synonymous with Vegas, roulette has its own sense of theatre, and offers a lot of potential for strategic play.   If you want to get started on roulette, it’s important to remember that the European version will actually give you better odds due to it having one less 0 square.  It also has one fewer green square, which also drops the house odds. Like blackjack, Roulette is quite simple to start off with but has its own learning curve for those looking to play for bigger stakes.

Casino games.  The other main group of games that are popular online are the virtual equivalent of the old fruit and slot machines, with almost all modern casino sites offering their own versions.  Some of the games originated in Egypt, such as the popular Cleopatra’s Pyramids, and others are simply based on the classic ‘3 lemons’ style fruities.   Whatever the design, thesegames never go out of fashion, and are beloved by those who love the ‘classic’ pub feel they get from playing them.

Analysts & Reviewers NOT using products before commenting!

It goes without saying, that everyone is a reviewer nowadays. However, more & more often many companies publish reviews, or analysts pass judgement on products with very little hands-on time with them. If you are interested in follow the topic that really needs addressing, you can see the conversation below.

New Office for Mac to Come Next Spring, Office for iOS Not Arriving Until Fall 2014?

ZDNet has shared a roadmap it received from a source who claims it is the timetable for Microsoft's plans for both the Mac and iOS versions of Office.

The map says a new version of Office for Mac will arrive in April 2014, while the long rumored Microsoft Office for iOS and Android will arrive next Autumn, in October 2014.

I do not know how old this purported roadmap is, but my contact indicated it was likely current as of the start of 2013. I asked Microsoft Office officials for comment on the alleged roadmap, but they declined to do so.

The most recent report, from this past December, suggested that Apple and Microsoft were in negotiations over revenue share as part of Microsoft's Office 365 subscription service that launched in January. Apple wants the standard 70/30 split in revenue that is part of its developer license agreement for every developer.

Microsoft itself has leaked references to Office Mobile for iPhone, Excel for iPad, and PowerPoint for iPad, making clear that Microsoft does have iOS versions in the works.

[Source: MacRumors]

Google Sending Out Glass Explorer Edition This Month

Google’s human cyborg Glass project will take further shape later this month when the company sends out the Explorer Edition to early testers. The futuristic wearable tech, which was unveiled by Google last year, promises to completely change how we experience our daily lives. Instead of having your hands firmly grasped around a smartphone or two, Glass will bridge that gap between our growing social disconnect and digital dependency.

“This month Google hopes to ship Glass Explorer Edition, designed for the first people to examine the potential uses of Glass,” a Google spokesperson said on Wednesday. “Developers can tinker with Glass and consumers can try it out in the real world.”

Forget the potential of the technology: how will people realistically react to people wearing Glass out in public? Curiosity, disgust, apathy, intolerance. How long before one of these early devices goes missing? Glass is expected to cost around $1,500 when it’s released to consumers later this year, so the fee of admission certainly isn’t cheap. With early access provided to developers, it’ll be exciting to see what possibilities are thought up.

The practical applications we’ve seen so far are quickly replying to texts and snapping quick photos, among other handy uses. Google will definitely need to work on the aesthetics of the product itself; the concept isn’t exactly foreign, but an existing product certainly is. We’re approaching the halfway point of April, so the arrival of Glass is nearly upon us if Google can keep to its expected release.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

PS3 controller set to work with new Sony Xperia phones

Using a proper controller, while perhaps making you look slightly odd on the bus, means you're not obscuring the screen with your fingers. For console-style action and racing games -- of which there are a great wealth on the Google Play Store, not to mention (ahem) emulators -- this is a huge improvement. You also get the tactile feedback of knowing you've definitely pressed a button, which is sadly lacking when you're just poking a screen.

If you want to play with your PS3 controller on any Android device, you can already do so. It's a little more complicated, and involves downloading an app, but you needn't do anything drastic like root your phone. You can read how to do it in our full guide here, which also explains how to configure games and emulators to work with the controller.

It's taken a very long time for Sony to integrate such an obvious bit of functionality into its phones. It bought out Ericsson to take full control of its smart phone business over two years ago, and its previous gaming effort the Xperia Play, one of its last with Ericsson, was half-baked and very clunky. It's not until this year's waterproof Xperia Z that we've seen a genuinely brilliant mobile from Sony alone.

[Source: CNET]

SimCity Mac out on 11 June, as 'Cheetah Speed' returns

Owners of Apple's aluminium computers won't be denied their urban-planning kicks, as EA has confirmed its recent SimCity game is headed to Mac on 11 June.

SimCity for Mac will only be available to download, via EA's Origin service. Although you don't get the disc for your collection, you'll still be paying £45 for the digital download -- the same price as the PC version, although if you've already bought it for PC you're entitled to download it again for Mac for nothing. 

June is a long time to wait, but with any luck EA will have ironed out the technical kinks thatruined SimCity when it launched in March. EA told me that, "The team has been working round the clock to smooth out the launch issues," so fingers crossed.

SimCity's insistence on a constant Internet connection was to blame, as gamers piled in to the new title, putting strain on EA's unprepared servers. Days later, an anonymous developerreportedly claimed that the always-on system wasn't even necessary to keep a single-player mode up and running.

The disastrous debut prompted us to ask whether gamers could claim a refund, while EA's response was to offer disgruntled customers a free game.

One feature EA powered down in order to keep SimCity afloat was 'Cheetah Mode', which lets you speed up time to ignore the boring bits of building a metropolis.

EA has confirmed via Facebook that Cheetah Mode is now back in play -- surely a relief to would-be mayors bored of watching virtual skyscrapers creep slowly toward the sky.

[Source: CNET]

Foursquare 6.0 for iPhone improves Explore recommendations

This seems to be the week for social networking app news, withTwitter's Vine app taking most of the spotlight so far. Today's news is about Foursquare 6.0, which has just become available through the iOS App Store's software updates and was announced on the Foursquare blog.

Foursquare first came to life in 2009 as a way to check in at venues, see what your friends were up to, grab mayorships and hopefully get the occasional badge. Lately, the app has been more about exploring venues near you, thanks to its recommendations engine Explore. But starting out on that exploration wasn't easy to do. That's what the new update is fixing.

When launched, version 6.0 of Foursquare replaces the Foursquare logo at the top of the screen with a new Explore search box. That's tied to a new, faster auto-complete engine for faster results when you're looking for that cinnamon roll joint.

The big difference, though, is that Foursquare is no longer fixated on telling you where your friends are. Instead, it places an emphasis on recommendations, giving hints about places where people go after being at the same venue you're at, or providing insight into places friends like in a city you're visiting. The app exclusively recommends good lunch spots around lunchtime, a convenient way to stop going to the same old burger joint and go to a new burger joint.

One interesting move in the UI is that the check-in button has moved to the bottom of the app; apparently that means that Foursquare's recently introduced tap-and-hold-to-check-in function is working well. The button also floats above the listings, which is kind of an interesting and useful UI change.

[Source: TUAW]

Microsoft Preparing 7-inch Surface

While the PC market continues to flounder, Microsoft needs to find new footing if it wants to keep pace with the competition. Samsung, Apple and others have found great mobile success over the past several years—with both tablet and smartphones—and it’s a sweet spot Microsoft will desperately need to muscle its way into. So far, the company’s Surface lineup hasn’t exactly taken the world by storm, though a brand new focus could help to change that later this year.

According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, the company is readying a completely fresh lineup of Surface tablets, including a more attractive 7-inch version. If Microsoft manages to produce the same excellent form factor in a smaller package and include a higher resolution screen, it could very well be the push Surface (and Windows RT) needs to become a viable competitor. Slap that with an aggressive price and Microsoft could grab a lot of consumer attention.

Last year, IDC research suggested half of Q4 tablets sales were smaller than 8-inches, with the iPad mini and Nexus 7 easily the most popular available. Microsoft initially didn’t have plans to go down the smaller tablet road, WSJ sources claim, but numbers don’t lie and, like Apple, it sounds as though the company doesn’t want to just stay out of the race entirely.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

The technological future of clothing

Electrical and wireless technology has progressed massively in the past decade and all of us are excited about what the future will bring. Few associate clothing with high-tech, though recently there have been developments in the field of material technology which could soon affect us all! If scientists get their way, in the future your kids’ outfits could be very different from simple boys sandals and polo shirts. Intrigued? Check out how far our threads have come with these predictions for the future…

Woollen bullet-proof vests?

Most of us are more used to wearing this natural fibre in the form of a cosy cardi, but wool could have more beneficial properties. Many bullet-proof vests are made from Kevlar, a synthetic fibre, though wool could soon be added to this to improve their energy and water absorption making bullet-proof vests lighter and cheaper.

Spray-on clothing

Body-con clothing and jeggings have been on-trend for a number of seasons, but for a really skin-tight look how about spaying on your clothing!? One Spanish designer has managed to create spray-on clothing which can be removed, washed, worn again or dissolved. This innovative fashion idea is courtesy of Spanish designer Manel Torres, a former student of the Royal College of Art. He collaborated with a professor of particle technology at Imperial College London in order to provide a unique way of dressing, as well as hoping to contribute to the future of the medical, transport and chemical industries.

Eco-conscious garments

Being environmentally-friendly is an aim for many of us, and in the future this could easily extend to our clothing too. Scientists and designers are looking to developdevelop textile which do not harm the environment, using polymer chemistry which doesn’t depend on non-renewable energy-sources. Producing and using more manufactured fibers is also a goal for the future, as well as looking for more unconventional clothing fabric, like recycled products. Designer Anke Domaske has used milk to create a new fabric called QMilch and US-based clothing company StaWarm has created a line made from recycled coffee beans.

Keeping warm

Keeping warm in sub-zero temperatures whilst wearing clothing that allows easy movement and mobility has been a tricky dilemma. A new material developed by sportswear company Hanesbrand aims to solve this, and provide the ultimate in cold weather insulation. Zero-Loft Aerogels is a thin, silica material that is made up of 90% air. It offers almost three times the insulation of traditional down, without being bulky.

Active smart-wear

Smart clothing involves building computing technology into clothing which allow more comfort for the wearer. Just innovations include fabrics which sense the environment and react accordingly. Clothing that changes density depending on the temperature, jackets which store solar energy to be used as power and built-in sensors may all be arriving at a high-street near you at some point in the future!